Midnight Facade
by xxlostdreamerxz
Summary: What if the Third had ordered Naruto to cultivate his mask? What if Naruto was truly not the idiot he played himself out to be? Dark Naruto.
1. The Bet

**Midnight Facade  
**

**By:** xxlostdreamerxz

**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Naruto.

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Falling**_

_"There is only so much one could take before they crack..."_

* * *

"You _fail_," shrieked a particularly vile voice. 

Naruto flinched, at the icy hatred in the man's voice. "Ano...I did all the work right, Marko-sensei," he protested quietly, as he darted a glance at his teacher's face which was red and bloated with anger and disgust.

The man snorted, "But you cheated," he stated coldly. "There is no way that _dead-last_ could ever achieve full marks."

_'I am only dead-last because you never acknowledge me,'_ thought Naruto with a grimace. It was his second year in academy already. The previous year, as like this year, his academy instructor had failed him on purpose. He didn't know or understand _why_ they seemed to hate him so. He had tried everything to get in their good graces! He was polite, hard-working, and exceedingly calm. And yet, they failed him year after year even though he had the scores to pass!

"You must have been cheating off of the Hyuga boy. He was sitting close enough for you to copy him answers," Marko concluded, as he grabbed a red brush and made another slash on a piece of paper. With a slight grin, he glanced down at the paper before turning towards Naruto. "Uzumaki," he said sternly, "With a record such as yours, well, sooner or later we would have no choice but to expel you. After all, cheating is unacceptable."

Naruto stiffened, but managed to keep his protests to himself. He had learned in his 10 years of life that the adults seemed to relish in his pain. A flicker of hurt and defiance flashed across his sapphire blue eyes. He _wouldn't_ allow them to hurt him. Not now, not ever. He was better than that.

"Well, Uzumaki?" drawled Marko, as he watched his student with a cruel smile. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

'Even if I didn't cheat, Ninjas are _suppose_ to learn the arts of 'trickery and deceit,' he thought furiously, as anger flowed through his veins. Naruto, refusing to give into his emotions, plastered an embarrassed and ashamed expression on his face. "Gomen, Marko-sensei," he whispered softly, look pointedly down at the ground. "It won't happen again."

Marko nodded. "Good," he said dismissively. "Go now, I need to finish some paperwork," he stated, before turning his back to the boy. His lips curled in disgust. In due time, they would get the Kyuubi-brat out of the academy.

_Soon..._

* * *

_Dear Hokage-sama,_

_As we have unfortunately discovered of late, your young ward Uzumaki Naruto has no potential as a shinobi. It is tragic, but nevertheless poses a real problem. Uzumaki possess below the average charka levels, pathetically low intelligence, and a penchant for trouble. He has, ever since his arrival, done nothing but hound and disrupt class with his tricks and pranks. As teachers of this prestigious academy, we have no choice but to urge you to withdraw the boy from the academy as soon as possible. Our mission here is to spread knowledge to all potential shinobis of the leaf. And we would like to emphasize that with Uzumaki here, such a mission would be impossible. Uzumaki has to leave immediately. _

_Sincerely,_

_Akira Marko _

Head of the Shinobi Academy.

* * *

The Hokage peered over the letter at the blonde boy sitting before him. The old man's eyes softened momentarily, as he noticed Naruto's stiff countenance and tight, forced grin. 'What in the world am I to do with you, Naruto?' he pondered, as he carefully placed the letter down onto a stack of paper. Even if the Shinobi Academy refused to acknowledge the boy's strength, Sarutobi knew better than to think so little of the boy. 

"Naruto," he said neutrally, as he met the boy's eyes. "I have just received a letter from the Academy stating that you've been up to mischief," he finished with a small smile. Sarutobi noted with a hint of guilt, the way the boy's shoulders slumped with relief.

Naruto regained his mask and huffed, "It's not my fault that Marko-sensei's an _idiot,_" he said as he crossed his arms stubbornly. "I didn't do anything that bad."

Sarutobi chuckled softly.

"He keeps on ranting about how stupid I am, how I always _cheat_ in class, and how I don't deserve to be placed in his esteemed class," complained Naruto, his voice growing louder and louder by the minute. "I mean, if I had a choice, I wouldn't even be there to start with."

The old man frowned at the boy's words. "I was not aware that you disliked the Academy so much Naruto," he said carefully, as he evaluated the boy's perfectly crafted expression. "If I had known sooner, I could have withdrawn you from their earlier."

A flicker of true anger crossed Naruto's face. "And where would I be placed then?" he demanded bitterly. "No one in this village would take me in. They _hate_ me."

Sarutobi closed his eyes in pain as a swirl of memories evaded his mind.

_"Protect him, Sarutobi-sensei, please I beg you. He is not the Kyuubi, only the container. He's a hero!"_

The Hokage's breath came out in a whoosh and he remembered his promise. A steely glint entered his eyes as he turned towards Naruto. He might have neglected to look after the boy in the first few years of his life, but now things were going to be different. He titled his chin in determination.

"I will not lie to you, Naruto, and deny it," the man said evenly. "The leaf...and most of its inhabitants are fools. They do not see or accept you for who you are. And mind you, I know that you're a good boy and perhaps the most talented ninja I've come across in quite awhile," said Sarutobi with a slight grin. His lips twitched in amusement as he saw Naruto's eyes widen in a surprising mixture of horror and disbelief. "Yes, I know all about your little excursions, Naruto," he said in amusement.

"H-how..."

Sarutobi shook his head in amusement. "Why, because I am the Hokage," he stated, as if that explained everything.

"But..." Naruto's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "...then why didn't you stop me?" he stated skeptically. "You're the _Hokage_, aren't you suppose to uphold the 'values' of this village or something?"

Sarutobi smile grew wider and leaned forward with a conspiring smile. "That's what everyone believes," he said in amusement. "They view me as nothing more than a figurehead during times of peace and of course...their personal secretary," he finished with a slight frown, as he glanced over at the stacks of paper.

Naruto sweat-dropped.

"But honestly, Naruto, a Hokage's first duty is to protect his village," he said sternly, as he regained his composure. "It doesn't matter what or how I do it. As long as I get the job done, no one can blame me for their mistakes." Sarutobi's expression hardened. "Their opinions or values are none of my concern. So long as the village is safe, I am doing my job."

Naruto pouted. "But Old Man, how in the hell does that relate to me?!"

Sarutobi sighed and gave the blonde a poignant side glance. He _knew_ what Naruto had done, so honestly, why in the blazing hell was the boy still feigning innocence? "Because first, you haven't harmed anyone from the Leaf (well, not permanently at any rate); hence, there is nothing I could accuse you of. Secondly..." The Hokage met Naruto's eyes. "...I believe that such training would help you in the future."

A spark of...something flashed across the pair of sapphire eyes. "Are you giving me permission then to continue with my...escapades?" he asked softly, with a hint of disbelief and suspicion. Naruto's lips curled into a frown. "And what do you mean it would 'help me in the future?" he demanded.

The Third sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration. He couldn't help but wonder slightly, as he met Naruto's suspicious glare, how things might have been different had the villagers been willing to _accept_ the boy for who he was. His eyes darkened in pain as an image of a bright, cheerful blonde baby appeared in his mind and compared it with the cold, suspicious boy before him.

"You know what the villagers are like, Naruto," he said tiredly. "You need to learn how to fight and protect yourself..." _since I know one day the villagers might try to kill you,_ he finished to himself. "And I believe your _escapades_ will help test your skills."

Naruto snorted, but quickly regained his mask. "But Old Man!" he complained. "How can I learn to defend myself when all my teachers are _idiots_. The only thing that they ever do is drone on and on about shinobi history - about how some lame-ass dead guy created the first kunai...etc." He made a face. "I just want to be a ninja! Not some grey-haired _half-dead_ historian."

Sarutobi was torn between amusement and annoyance. "Shinobi History is essential if you wish to believe a decent ninja," he argued. "Take for example, you wanted to go undercover in some foreign nation. You'd need to know the customs and history of such a nation to fit in."

The blonde boy raised an eyebrow. "Then why are we learning of ancient _conquered_ civilizations?"

The Hokage's eye twitched. 'Touché.'

Naruto fell silent. "So, what are you going to do about it? The letter, I mean," he clarified, as a pained expression flashed across his face as he noticed the Third's guarded expression. Assuming the worst, Naruto guessed, "You're going to forbid me to be a ninja aren't you?"

Sarutobi blinked at the unexpected comment.

"The Shinobi Academy probably wrote to you about how I was..._cheating_ in class,_"_ Naruto sneered at the word. "And they've most likely kicked me out in response." Naruto leaned back against his chair with a frown upon his face. "And you, the great Hokage, are now stuck on what to do with me," he guessed. "I can't go back to any one of the ninja academies seeing as how I have been kicked out of _all_ the ones in Konoha. And I honestly doubt that you'd send me to another village to train," he said calmly, as he raised his icy blue eyes to met the Third's. "Did I get everything?" he drawled.

A proud smile flashed across his face. "Almost," he said brightly, as he handed over a large folder to the boy. Sarutobi's smile grew wider at the boy's surprise.

"What..." the boy trailed off weakly.

"That m'boy is your personal file," Sarutobi explained calmly. "It has a complete analysis of your fighting tactics, skills, intelligence, and so forth." Looking into those wide confused blue orbs, the Hokage felt a flicker of satisfaction. It was nice to know that the boy had not been completely broken by the villagers. "For the past few years there have been quite a few Jounin who have been assigned to keep tabs on you; they have been ordered by the Council to observe your every move."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "Why are you telling me this?"

The Third grinned evilly. "Because I have a task for you," he answered, as he took one long draw from his pipe. "That file is a copy of the one they have stored within the Council chambers, but not just any copy for it is charka-tied. Anything that the Council records there regarding you will instantly appear on your file." Sarutobi released a thick gray smog of smoke. "Your mission, Naruto, is to perfect you stealth. I want you to be able to hide your charka, your techniques, and so forth from all of your..._minders._" Waiting patiently for Naruto's nod, he continued, "If you manage to accomplish this mission I will personally find you the best ninja trainers around to tutor you."

Naruto stared at the Hokage incomprehensively. "Wait...let me get this straight," he drawled. "You want me to sabotage the Council, hide my talent, and whatever just so that I could get some lessons from a few crack-pot teachers?"

The Third snickered, as he held out his hand. "Well, yes, that's the gist. Do we have a deal?"

Naruto shrugged but reached forward to clasp the old man's hand. "Sounds like a plan," he said, with a small evil smirk growing upon his face.

"Good."

* * *

So how was it? Love? Hate? Read and Review please!! 


	2. Twists of Fate

**Midnight Facade**

**By:** xxlostdreamerxz

**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Naruto.

**A/N: **I am trying my best to keep the characters' personalities in character; however, I have not written in the Naruto fandom for a LONG time so I might make a few mistakes. Oh and after this chapter, the story will steadily get darker and darker. Even though there's definately going to moments of levity, it's going to get more serious.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Twists of Fate**

_"What need I fear of thee? But yet I'll make assurances double sure, and take a bond of fate: though shalt not live. That I may tell pale hearted fear it lies; and sleep in spite of thunder." - Shakespeare _

* * *

With a deep sigh, Naruto slowly trudged across the courtyard of the Ninja Academy, making his way towards his classmates who sat, staring at Marko-sensei with wide starry eyes, as the old idiot wove some bloody tales about the Great Shinobi Wars.

_"Yondamaine-sama was in trouble you see. The Rock shinobis had him cornered nine to one and he was already low on chakra..." Marko paused, allowing the suspense to build. A pleased smirk crossed his face as his students leaned forward as one with anticipation. _

Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes; instead, plastering a stupid smile upon his face as he prepared himself to confront his idiot of a sensei.

_"It seemed like all was lost. But then, alas, it happened!_** _I_**_ arrived just in time leading a squad of ANBU," Marko continued, reveling in the limelight. "And like the heroic, powerful, smart ninja that I am, I single-handedly managed to save the Fourth from an early death..."_

_"Sugoi!!" a young girl squealed. "You're so cool sensei!" _

Naruto bounded over, catching the class's attention; he forced himself to blush and stare down at the ground. "Gomen sensei," he said scratching his head apologetically. "Gama-chan was sick yesterday and I had to stay up taking care of it. And my alarm clock didn't go off this morning..."

"Uzumaki," the teacher ground out, his eyes flashing with hate. "What are you doing here?"

Naruto paused, staring at his sensei in confusion.

"Are you so inept that you couldn't even read something as simple as,_ 'You're Expelled?!_" the man hissed furiously, causing his class to erupt into whispers. Marko took a deep breath and tried to regain his composure.

The blonde boy's eyes flashed in fury before he quickly masked it with a lighthearted smile. "Ano, I thought it was a prank!" he said brightly. "I am, after all, the great Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage..."

"Hokage?" Marko snarled, his face purpling in anger. That_ demon_ wanted the most coveted position in the entire village even after what it'd done? "Preposterous."

Naruto's mask slipped as a unbidden glint of hurt flashed across his face.

"Our village shall never fall to such a degree that," Marko sneer darkly,"_ dead-last_ of all people would actually be nominated for, none the less, be considered for Hokage. No one will never acknowledge you here."

_Never. _

"I'm not dead-last!" Naruto erupted furiously, shaking his fist at his instructor, all pretense shattering."You're all wrong! I_ will_ becomes Hokage someday! It is my dream and I_ never_ go back on my word. It's my ninja way!" he proclaimed, his shoulders set with determination and his fists trembling in fury.

The entire class burst out laughing at those words.

Marko's eyes widened momentarily when he heard the demon brat raise his voice for the first time against authority, before narrowing them in satisfaction. So...the demon brat had_ finally_ shown his true colors.

"And you know what?" he continued, ignoring the taunts and jeers of his classmates. "I don't need your help! I'll achieve my dreams without you and your stupid academy! Just you wait! I'll..."

Naruto grunted in pain as he was suddenly slammed against the wall.

Marko's mouth twisted into a cold smirk, as he pinned the demon by the throat. "You're dreams are worthless_ fox,_" he snarled, tightening his hold on the boy. "We all know what you_ really_ want. What you'd_ really_ do if you had the power. If we hadn't trapped you inside that -" Marko suddenly froze, realizing that he was about to break the Third's law...

_"It shall be done," the Third snapped furiously, his voice rising above the protests of his fellow ninjas. "We shall honor the Yondamaine last request. Uzumaki Naruto** is** a hero. He is not the Kyuubi; he is a child, an innocent." At this point, the Third allowed his killing intent to surface. "As decreed, no one shall speak of this incident upon the threat of pain of torture and death. Understood?"_

"You're a monster," Marko hissed softly, leaning forward so that only Naruto could hear his words. "You don't deserve to live after what you've done. The Hokage's a fool..." The sensei tightened his hold on Naruto's throat, ignoring the boy's whimpers and struggles. "...but I'm not. No one else is._ Fox._ One of these day's you'll pay..." With that said, Marko easily tossed the boy aside, taking sadistic pleasure as the boy crashed painfully against the barbed wired fence.

_So stay out Kyuubi. _

_Go rot._

The older man returned his attention back to his students, noticing that some looking hesitant and worried while others appeared rather impressed. He cleared his throat and announced, "I apologize for frightening you," he said calmly, giving the class a warm smile. "Sometimes I don't know my own strength."

"But sensei, should we hel-"

"No no," he interrupted, shaking his head at the girl's feeble question. "Uzumaki had committed numerous acts against our school. He has cheated; he has lied; he has beaten up innocent students. He is a bully. And he deserves everything that he got." Marko-sensei gave the girl a small smile. "While I commend you on your kindness, you should know better than to waste it on the likes of him. Some...people...just shouldn't be bothered with."

A few students exchanged uncomfortable glances, while the majority of them nodded and agreed, "Hai sensei."

Marko-sensei's smile grew larger as his eyes flickered towards the demon brat's crumbled and shaking form. "I suppose we're done for now, class," he said quietly, beckoning his students back into the building. "We're going to go over ninja tactics next."

"Hai," the students chorused, slowly lining up and filing into the classroom.

And once he made sure the last of his students had entered the building and out of earshot, Marko yelled, "And Uzumaki! Since you're no longer a student, you have an hour to vacate the premise before the ANBU arrive. So scram!" before slamming the wooden door shut loudly behind him.

* * *

**ANBU Guard**

* * *

Hidden atop the school roof, a slim darkly cloaked figure, watched the proceedings below with mild indifference. His mission was simple - record and analyze the fox-boy's movements and skills. After all, the village could not afford to have Uzumaki stray from his supposed path. The council had plans for the Kyuubi boy...plans that the Hokage had yet to be informed of. And during the last council meeting, the clan heads concluded that the Third was blinded by his affection for the fox boy to see the demon's _true_ identity; thus, someone had to take a stand...

_Namely the Konoha Council._

And while he, as a ninja, did not hold anything against the boy._ 'The Demon,' his mind hissed._ His task was simple; obey the council and be prepared to take...drastic measures should things...get out of hand. It mattered not what he as doing. For he was a ninja. A tool...

_"We bought your services," the council head snapped. "Buckle down. You are ours to wield. Our tool. Not the Hokage's, not Konoha's. Ours."_

The man sighed softly as he stared off into the distance, memories of his past, of his loved ones' laughter, of Kyuubi's attack, and then of silence. The painful unending silence that tore him ragged each and every day. He just couldn't escape it no matter how hard he tried...

_"Watch him," the Council had ordered. "Learn his weakness, learn his strengths..." The old man, the leader of the Council, paused briefly before continuing. "For you will need the information when the time is right."_

He had not yet asked what they wished for him to do_ afterwards_. Murder perhaps? Torture? He shook his head roughly. Perhaps it was best this way._ Uncertainty._ He was a tool after all and tools don't feel. They obey.

And that's all he had left now.

He was a tool.

A double edged tool sold to the highest bidder. It mattered not who or what he was betraying._ For they're all dead._ It mattered not that he could be killed on this mission._ For death would be a blessing._ The man eyes darkened as they glared down at the trembling form below him...

_'I hate you.'_

* * *

**Training Courtyard**

* * *

The blonde child leaned painfully against the barbed wire fence, the cold hard steel biting against his flesh. His sapphire blue eyes, stared blankly ahead, ignoring the stinging pain in his abdomen; ignoring the blood that seeped out from a particularly deep slash on his shoulder...

_'What is wrong with me?'_

He just didn't understand...He was always been hated wherever he went. No matter how hard he tried to obtain their acknowledgement, he was always shot down. Always pushed aside.

Always...

Even in his earliest memories he remembered hatred. He saw a woman...blonde like him, throwing him to the ground. There had been fear...so much fear in her eyes. And then the screaming began. Naruto's childish face darkened in pain.

_'Why did my parents desert me? Was I truly that detestable?'_

When he had asked the Sandime, the old man had given him an undecipherable look, before sighing sadly. The Third had told him that once the time was right, he'd reveal to him the truth...

_...the truth that they deserted me? _

Could Marko-sensei be right? Was he never going to obtain anyone's acknowledgement? Was he fated to wither away, unknown and forgotten, hated by everyone he'd ever met? Two traitorous tears fell from his eyes.

_"You're a monster. You don't deserve to live after what you've done..."_

But he wasn't a monster. He had never harmed anyone. While yes, he_ had_ committed the occasional prank...but it was nothing dangerous. Nothing to deserve such blatant hostility, such hatred. Naruto's shoulders slumped in defeat, as a traitorous tear trickled down his face...

"I'm so worthless," he muttered softly, unaware that he had spoken aloud. "Perhaps they're right...i'll never accomplish anything. Perhaps I..." Naruto paused suddenly, as he heard a distictively strange noise before him and looked up, only to flinch in fright.

_What in the world?!_

Naruto resisted the urge to cry out, instead shuffling back as far as possible from these two maniacs before him. This was_ insane._ Why would anyone ever wish to wear..._that?_ Naruto's eyes glazed over with disbelief...

"Oh Gai-sensei! We mustn't allow the flames of youth to dissipate in one so young!" a loud voice cried out from beside Naruto, causing said boy to jump up in fright. "He has passion! He has strength! Oh sensei, we must do something!"

The taller man fitted with a bright green leotard and green jounin vest flashed a smile and boomed, "Of course we will, my lovely student! I shall take him under my wing just like I have for you!"

"Oh Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Naruto stared up in pure horror as the two men continuously hugged each other, streams of tears flowing down their face. His fingers tightened painfully against barbed wire fence. He needed to get out of here...The slash on his shoulder throbbed painfully, Naruto hissed softly as a few silent traitorous tears fell from his eyes.

The two men paused at the sound.

"Gai-sensei!" the smaller figure (Lee obviously) in green suddenly shrieked, when spotted Naruto's injury. "He's hurt! We must fan his flames before it goes out!"

The older man nodded. "Yosh! Lee, go to our apartment and feach my walet," he ordered, smiling brightly as his student gave him a one handed salute before blasting away. "And now..." he said, focusing on Naruto, ignoring the boy's fright. "I'll take you to the hospital."

The blonde paled in fright.

"Fear not! We shall protect you! After all, no one dares hurt one from_ our_ pack," Gai said proudly, as he scooped up the child and ran.

"Pack?" Naruto said nervously._ Surely these aren't the ANBU that Marko was talking about?_

"Oh yes! We, the green beasts of Konoha, burn brightly," Gai boomed, tossing his head back and smiling. "Our flames are stronger, more powerful, and lasting than any others within Konoha!"

_'Helphelphelphelp...help me!' _Naruto thought helplessly, tears in his eyes as he was towed away by a maniac.

Gai looked down at the pitiful blonde child in his arms. "And you're one of us now!" he yelled brightly, ignoring the pained expression on Naruto's face. He paused, misinterpreting the frightened glaze in Naruto's eyes for awe. "Oh don't fret! The flames of youth burn brightly in you! You'll see! One of these days you'll become just like us."

Naruto shook his head violently._ No. No. Noooo..._

_'I don't want this...save me Oji-san!'_

* * *

**Hokage Tower**

* * *

A chuckling old man leaned back against his chair, his free hand stroking the crystal ball before him. A cloudy misty shape, that looked suspiciously like a familiar blonde, was crying streams of tears as a frantic Gai tried rocking the unresponsive child in his arms.

"Ahh don't look so grim Naruto," he murmured in amusement. "This will be useful for your mission, no?"

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To Be Continued


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